P.E.I. restaurants reducing hours as temperatures rise

Some restaurants across Prince Edward Island decided to close their doors at points during the day this week to give staff a chance to cool down.

Environment Canada issued a heat warning for P.E.I. from Thursday to Saturday. With humidex, it has felt like 40 C. That led to some unbearably hot kitchens for restaurant workers on the Island. 

At the Ship's Company Pub and Galley, it was more than 30 C in the kitchen on Thursday, according to operations manager Jamie Newson. He decided to close the restaurant early and for an hour in the middle of the day.

"A lot of people are coming out to eat because it's too hot for them to be cooking in their kitchen and they're cooking for a family of maybe four or five," said Newson. 

"We're cooking for 200, 300 people a day and for 10, 12, 13 hours at a time so it gets uncomfortable and unbearable at times." 

Newson said it's a tough decision to close the restaurant even for a few hours during peak tourist season, but it's the right thing to do for staff.

"Heat stroke can come on pretty easily and pretty quick and make somebody sick," he said. 

"We love our customers. We appreciate the support, but our number one priority is our staff and making sure they're safe because without them we wouldn't be a successful restaurant."

'Very hard on our staff'

Newson was not the only one to shut his doors to beat the heat. Ship to Shore restaurant in Darnley closed from 2 to 5 p.m. both Thursday and Friday. 

While there is air conditioning in the restaurant, owner Coreen Pickering said it's no match for the heat.

"It's very hard on our staff," she said.

Newson said some customers have been frustrated by his restaurant closing early. But others are glad to see staff getting a break.

"It's great that they're able to give their staff some relief but it must be challenging given that it's been hard for the restaurants anyway in the last year and a half," said J. Marc MacDonald, who enjoyed a meal on Ship to Shore's patio Friday afternoon.

"Maybe businesses will have to stay open later in the evening like they do in Europe."

Hot and busy

Pickering said business is luckily still doing well. Despite her having to close her doors in the afternoon, she said sales met 2019 numbers on Thursday. 

"It is extremely busy and we are on reduced staff as well," Pickering said. 

"I'm encouraging them to go dip their feet in the water."

Both Newson and Pickering said they're keeping an eye on the forecast over the next few days. If the heat continues and closing is what it takes to keep their staff cool, that's exactly what they'll do. 

Environment Canada's website recommends Islanders stay hydrated and to not leave people or pets in parked vehicles. Temperatures are expected to cool down on Saturday night. 

More from CBC P.E.I.